Thursday, September 30, 2010

In Houston, Texas, the parents of eighth-grader have said that their son shot himself in the head after constantly being harassed at Hamilton Middle School. His mother and stepfather, said that other students verbally and physically bullied him, and said that the Cypress-Fairbanks Independent School District ignored their complaints; the district responded that it never heard from parents, school officials or other students.

Also, a freshman at New Jersey's Rutgers University committed suicide by jumping off the George Washington Bridge after other students broadcast the freshman making out with another man (without the victim's knowledge).

According to the discrimination report, sent directly to former Kentucky Equality Federation President Jordan Palmer, who continues to act as public advocate for the organization: "Yesterday they called me to the office and told me I was suspended without pay on suspicions that I am a lesbian."

The woman has now been terminated.

According to the plaintiff: "This job was everything I have ever wanted. They sought me out, made me an offer too good to turn down. To be approached the way I was was heartbreaking; unbelievable is a better word. I'm going to move on, professionally and try to figure out what lesson I can learn from this other than the shallowness and closed mindedness that still exists today.

Thursday, September 16, 2010

Todd Hartch an Associate Professor in the history department of Eastern Kentucky University (EKU) recently wrote to The Eastern Progress (EKU's student newspaper) that EKU offering domestic partnerships beginning January 2011 "undermines marriage."

Hartch went on to say: "The policy endorses the practice of unmarried couples living together and confers marriage-like benefits to them. It says to EKU, to Madison County, and to Kentucky that sexual relationships outside of marriage are not only legitimate but important enough to necessitate university sponsorship."

Hartch goes to the say that offering domestic partnerships at EKU violates the Commonwealth's Constitution. Without knowing what kind of "history" Hartch teaches, he should remember then Kentucky Attorney General Greg Stumbo (now Speaker of the House) ruled on this.

It is somewhat scary that a history professor doesn't know a critical ruling of the Kentucky Department of Law, headed by the Attorney General.

Kentucky's top law enforcement officer, Attorney General Greg Stumbo (D) ruled domestic-partner benefits unconstitutional today, but left the door open for universities and colleges around the commonwealth to make them constitutional by broadening their definition of domestic-partner.

House Representative Stan Lee (R), currently running for the Office of Attorney General to replace Stumbo was one of two representatives to request the opinion (no surprise there).

“They still have the flexibility to allow and to offer their health insurance plan and its benefit structure to other people,” Stumbo said. “They cannot define the class of people in a manner that would be creating a legal status similar to that of marriage.”

The University of Kentucky and the University of Louisville currently offer domestic-partner benefits.

The professor is not the chief law enforcement officer of the Commonwealth or an attorney, and the Kentucky Attorney General left the door wide open to allow this! Perhaps Hartch should read more history.

This is the official blog of Kentucky Equality Federation. Posts contained in this blog may not be the official position of Kentucky Equality Federation, its volunteer officers, directors, management, supported organizations, allies or coalitions, but rather the personal opinions or views of the volunteer Community Bloggers. The opinions or views expressed in the blog are protected by Section 1 of the Constitution of the Commonwealth of Kentucky as non-slanderous free speech; blogs are personal views or opinions and not journalistic news sites.

"Many people and groups are victims of discrimination. Some are discriminated against because of their sexual orientation, sexual identity, race, gender, veteran status, or political identification (or lack thereof). Discrimination takes many forms, and it is necessary that the victims of such treatment strive for a better world where all groups, orientations, identities, creeds, and political groups can achieve equality." - Josh Koch, Vice President of Policy and Public Relations.

This is the official blog of Kentucky Equality Federation. Posts contained in this blog may not be the official position of Kentucky Equality Federation, its volunteer officers, directors, management, supported organizations, allies or coalitions, but rather the personal opinions or views of the volunteer Community Bloggers. The opinions or views expressed in the blog are protected by Section 1 of the Constitution of the Commonwealth of Kentucky as non-slanderous free speech; blogs are personal views or opinions and not journalistic news sites.